Herat Regional Hospital gets emergency support

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations has announced giving $35,000 from the Common Humanitarian Fund for the construction of a new triage area at the Herat Regional Hospital.

In light of the attack on a Shiite mosque, which killed at least 31 people and injured scores of others, the regional hospital was called on to provide emergency trauma surgery and care.

“I arrived in Herat today to find the hospital and its staff in full gear with surgical teams working around the clock to keep survivors alive,” said Toby Lanzer, humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan.

“The UN stands with the people of Afghanistan particularly at times like these and I have decided to give the WHO $35,000 from the Common Humanitarian Fund so that a new triage area can be built and equipped at the hospital,” he said in a statement.

The UN Fund’s immediate response to the WHO meant that the hospital in Herat would be better-equipped to help people with trauma care, if required, in the future,” commented Herat Regional Hospital Director Dr. Arif Shahram.

The health sector has been the largest recipient of this emergency funding mechanism under the overall authority of the humanitarian coordinator, receiving more than $37 million.